Harry's Pensieve: Finding Sirius
by phoenixangel1
Summary: In the summer before Harry's 6th year, Harry receives a Pensieve as a gift. Using it, he journeys back to his memory of the battle in the Department of Mysteries and goes "beyond the veil" to rescue Sirius. NEW CH. 5 UP!!!
1. Wishing and Hoping

July 9, 2003

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Harry Potter's 6th Year

Harry's Pensieve: Finding Sirius

Written by: Phoenixangel

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Note: Caution! Contains SPOILERS for Book 5!!!

Summary: In the summer before Harry's 6th year, Harry receives a Pensieve as a gift. Using it, he journeys back to his memory of the battle in the Department of Mysteries and goes "beyond the veil" to find Sirius.

The sunset's orange and scarlet rays cast a warm glow over the houses in Privet Drive, although most of the inhabitants of the quaint little street had more pressing matters to attend to than watching the sun go down. But one boy in particular could be seen gazing out longingly from his window at Number 4 Privet Drive. His rumpled black hair, bright green eyes, and grubby clothes made him very conspicuous among neighborhood people, who prided themselves on cleanliness. Although young, he had the wise but haunted gaze of someone who had been through enough horror and sadness to last a lifetime.

Harry Potter stared moodily out his window and thought dully that he should really be getting a move on with his letters, which he hadn't bothered to open in over 3 weeks. They lay in a forgotten pile at the foot of his unmade bed. In fact, he suddenly realized that three whole days had gone by since he had last written a letter to Moody and the rest of the gang. They would probably be wondering what had happened to him, but what did he care? Besides, what else could he say besides "I'm fine…really," in his letters? In any case, if they came by the house to check on him, at least he would have a much-appreciated break from his summer, which was turning out to be a very gloomy one indeed, despite the blistering heat that radiated from the open windows in the house.

It was all their fault that Sirius was gone, he thought angrily, punching his pillow in frustration. Why didn't they tell him the truth when he had really needed it? Did they think that he was only a child, incapable of understanding or comprehending the truth? Sirius had wanted to tell him…Sirius had known that he was able to handle it, but the others had decided that the truth wasn't meant for "poor Harry's" ears. And now look what happened! Harry thought furiously. If he had known about Voldemort being able to control his dreams, he would never have fallen into the trap and gone to the Department of Mysteries!

Sighing wearily, Harry reached beneath his pillow and pulled out the little pouch that contained the shattered remnants of Sirius's two-way mirror. Although he knew that it would probably never show Sirius's face again, he had kept it anyway. Tears prickled his eyes and threatened to fall as he gazed at the object that would have changed everything. If only he had known about it before Sirius's death. Instead of talking to Sirius through Professor Umbridge's fire, he could have been using the mirror! But now…it was of no use anymore. If only he had used it during the school year…if only he hadn't been thickheaded enough to put it into his trunk and forget all about it! If only…. If only he could see Sirius again…

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Author's Notes: READ CAREFULLY!!! (hehe) If you liked this fanfic story, then please review! This was, of course, written after HP and the Order of the Phoenix came out! I got the book the first day it was out (Saturday) and I finished it in 9 hours! I liked it a lot, although I was surprised (at first) at the darker and angrier tone. But anyway, I liked it so much that I wanted to make a story where Harry finds Sirius again…hehe, since I obviously can't believe that Sirius actually died! So anyway, please review if you like this story! And also, if you DO like this story, then please visit my Harry Potter's Pensieve Messageboard/Forum at (www.aimoo.com/forum/freeboard.cfm?id=490532) and JOIN! I really want some members on the forum (since right now, there are no members) so that we can discuss HP stuff and role-play! (You can't role-play characters without other members!) There's a lot of cool stuff on the messageboard, including:

Dumbledore's Army/ Dueling Club (practice spells!)

Harry's Pensieve (if he went back inside, what would the other characters be doing?)

Rant against Prof. Umbridge! (exactly what it says…plus, I'll probably write what Umbridge says, so you can pretend that you're really yelling at her!)

Book Discussion (favorite quotes, theories, etc.)

What If and Why Didn't They? (Things that could've happened; for example, why didn't Lily and James Disapparate from their house when Voldemort came? What if Sirius hadn't fallen through the veil?)

The Sorting Hat and The Great Hall (get sorted and become characters! Meet up in the Great Hall!)

Hogwarts Classes (we need teachers! You can also become students!)

Character Back Stories (what is their history?)

Where Were They Then and Where Are They Now? (A look back to the time when characters were first mentioned!)

Harry's 6th Year (The role-playing game for Harry's next adventure!)

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So, UNLESS you join the forum, I might not continue writing this story…. (heh heh heh…)

Remember, the forum is

www.aimoo.com/forum/freeboard.cfm?id=490532


	2. Trials and Tribulations

Home

July 10, 2003

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Harry Potter's Pensieve: Finding Sirius

Chapter 2: Trials and Tribulations

A cool, light breeze rustled through Harry's untidy hair as he watched the sun go down. The sun had colored the clouds with iridescent hues of pink and gold. As the sun gradually began to sink below the horizon, the sky slowly darkened into a midnight blue hue. The last remnants of the magnificent sunset were overshadowed by the glow of the streetlamps, which turned on one by one as the sunset faded into the distance. From his vantage point up on the second floor, Harry could look down on the sprawling neighborhood below and spot the tiny pinpricks of light coming from the flames of the streetlamps. As he sat on the windowsill, he lifted his eyes up toward the velvety black sky. 

The stars were just beginning to emerge from behind the clouds. Harry searched the heavens until he found the star he was looking for: the brightest star in the sky…Sirius, the Dog Star. Looking up at it, he felt a calming peace drift over him. He could almost hear Sirius's voice telling him not to worry and that everything was going to be all right. _When you wish upon a star…_Harry smiled as the familiar song popped into his head. _Makes no difference who you are. When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true… _Feeling exceptionally drowsy, he slowly closed his eyes and allowed his head to sink down onto his arms.

This time, the ending of the dream was different.

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He could see it almost as clearly as he had experienced it. The Death Eaters in the room…Dumbledore arriving…then Sirius, falling through the veil…

Sirius was hit with a burst of red light. His face still registered surprise as he slowly fell. Harry was willing his legs to go faster as he jumped down from step to step in a determined effort to get to Sirius. But by then, it was already over. Bellatrix's gleeful yell pierced into his mind as he saw the fluttering veil finally drift to a standstill, capturing Sirius in its grasp for eternity. 

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!!!" Harry could barely see through the tears streaming down his face. Sirius couldn't be dead, Harry knew, and this time he was determined to go through the veil. This time, Lupin didn't stop him. Harry reached the dais, pulled back the curtain, and was just about to step into the blinding white light…

CRASH!!! As Harry was abruptly jerked to consciousness, he nearly fell off the windowsill because his limbs seemed to have been paralyzed. His hair and clothes were soaked in water. Harry tried to move his feet, but instead encountered shooting pains all over his body. "Ughhh," he groaned as he finally got his limbs working again. His arms and feet must have fallen asleep, and in their cramped state, it was no wonder that it was painful to move them. Standing upright again, he quickly moved to close the window, from which rain was violently pouring in. The lightning crashed outside again, ending with an enormous thunderclap that rocked the whole house. His floor and his bed were thoroughly drenched. Sighing heavily, he turned toward his bedroom door to go get a mop, when he saw his alarm clock displaying the time 12:00. That much time had passed already? Harry thought groggily. In his dazed state, he could barely remember what day it was. Was it July 20…25…28? No…Harry shook his head, trying to dispel his sleepiness, when he finally remembered. It was July 31…his birthday.

He could hardly remember a gloomier birthday…except, of course, that time during his 8th birthday when Dudley and his gang had locked him inside an old abandoned mansion just on the outskirts of town and had totally forgotten about Harry. He had been trapped in there for a 3 days before the Dursleys finally began to look for him. But now, even when he had friends, it seemed like he could never be happy anymore. Voldemort changed everything, Harry thought bitterly. He took away my parents, my godfather, and everything that ever mattered to me! His innocence and childhood had been shattered. All his dreams and his hopes of living a better life with Sirius were gone…because of one person. Harry felt an all-consuming hatred bubbling from within his soul. He would make Voldemort pay…he would make Tom Riddle feel the pain that he felt…and he would never stop until that day came.

Author's Notes: So, how did you like this chapter? I agree, it is a bit short, but at least it didn't take long for me to write! And besides, I bet you all like reading short chapters frequently more than reading a long chapter once a month! But anyway, thanks to all my reviewers and a very big thanks to those who joined my forum! (I was going to continue the story, anyway, but I'm really glad that some of you decided to join! I was really happy!) So, I think that's all for now! Oh, and also, I can't post any new chapters over the weekend, so the earliest I can have the next chapter up is probably Monday. Also, please review if you like the story! Reviews always make me happy!


	3. Birthday Wishes

July 10, 2003

Updated July 14, 2003

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Harry Potter's Pensieve: Finding Sirius

Chapter 3: Birthday Wishes

Harry awoke the next day, in his sopping wet bed, to the sound of tapping at his window. The sun had come out and the sky was a clear blue, with no indication whatsoever that a mighty thunderstorm had blown through the neighborhood just a few hours before. The birds on the tree outside his window seemed to be making an enormous racket, and his head was still pounding from staying up late the night before, so he walked grumpily over to the window to see what was making such an obnoxious noise. What he saw made him gape in surprise. In fact, he was so astonished that it took him a few seconds before he finally realized that his mouth was still hanging open.

Outside, on the tree beside his window, were dozens of owls, all carrying packages covered in brightly wrapped paper. Harry was surprised that nobody else in his neighborhood had noticed this odd occurrence, but he was glad since no one was supposed to know about the wizarding world and this event would most likely be very suspicious to normal Muggles. He breathed a sigh of relief that the Dursleys were not up yet, but his belief was proven wrong when, just a second later, the shrill screech of his Aunt Petunia rattled the windowpanes. "VERNON! Vernon, you will not BELIEVE what the boy had the nerve to do!" And then, a moment later, his uncle Vernon's thunderous voice joined the ear-splitting yells of his aunt. "THOSE RUDDY OWLS!!!! HARRY! WHAT on earth are you doing up there!!!"

Harry gulped as he surveyed the owls outside, then, feeling that it couldn't be any worse than it already was, opened the window and shooed the owls inside. Owl after owl rushed into his room and perched everywhere: on his drawers, on his desk, on his bed…and even on his head! He gave a sigh of relief when the last owl flew in, then closed the window and surveyed the group. His own snowy owl, Hedwig, flew over and landed on his shoulder, giving him an affectionate nip on his ear. Harry still stared at the owls in amazement. He had never had so many letters before in his life! Most of the owls also carried parcels. There was one package in particular that Harry's eyes landed on instantly. It was held up by a group of four owls, which were apparently very tired from their journey since they decided to flop down in unison on his bed.

Harry walked over to the bed and quickly untied the package from the owls' legs. The parcel was thickly wrapped in brown wrapping paper and was tied up crudely with a piece of knotted string. Harry could not contain his curiosity as he hastily unwrapped the present. What was underneath those layers and layers of brown paper? The package didn't even come with a letter or card, he noted quickly. Finally, he removed the final sheet of brown paper and found, to his amazement, a beautiful silver-colored box, along with a note. He opened the note first, while sneaking brief glances at the mysterious box, which now showed a picture of a silver unicorn galloping around in a meadow. 

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Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! I really hope you like the present Ron and I got you! Well, it was Professor Dumbledore who actually bought the present (we couldn't go anywhere!). However, I first had the idea after I read about it in a book and Professor Dumbledore thought it was a good plan! Ron was the one who asked everybody for their memories! But, in case you haven't figured it out yet, why don't you take a look inside the box? Professor Dumbledore put an Unbreakable Charm on the box so that we wouldn't have to worry about it being broken! We stored some of our memories in there so that we could give you a personal welcome!

Love,

Hermione

Harry was perplexed by this cryptic message, but decided that, since it was from Hermione and Ron, the present couldn't be that dangerous. He slowly lifted the cover of the box off and gasped in surprise as he saw what was beneath it. A silvery light enveloped him as he stared down at his very own Pensieve. Then, remembering Hermione's message, he cautiously stuck a finger into the silvery white substance and was rapidly jerked into the contents of the shallow stone basin.

The transition happened just like the last two times he had been sucked into a Pensieve. He was thrown into the icy-cold darkness, but, just as suddenly as he had tumbled in, he came to a halt inside the very familiar surroundings of 12 Grimmauld Place. His heart gave a lurch as he remembered the house that Sirius used to live in. He did not want to be back here…he did not want to face these memories again.

"Hello Harry!"

Harry jumped in surprise as he heard his name. He turned around to see the members of the Order of the Phoenix waving energetically at him. They were seated around a large rectangular dining table, which was overflowing with wrapping paper and presents. It seemed like a tornado had hit, since there were bits and chunks of wrapping paper flying across the room as the people at the table feverishly worked on wrapping their presents. Harry had to duck as a particularly large wad of paper came flying his way. 

Hermione, who was in the center of the group, had started talking again. "Well, since you're here, I suppose you would like to know what in the world we're doing! And also, please sit in the chair over there, just in front of the fire, so that at least I can pretend I'm talking to you!"

Harry spied the chair and gingerly settled himself in it. However, he had an unsettling feeling that, although it was only a memory, Hermione seemed to be looking directly at him. So, instead of staying in the chair, he walked over to the table to see what the other people were up to and to avoid being under Hermione's gaze. She continued, still staring at the chair that Harry no longer occupied, "Well, as you can see, we're preparing for your birthday! We just wanted you to have a special day, and we're also making up for the fact that we weren't too helpful last summer…. So anyway, we recruited some of the members of the Order who wanted to help out!" 

At this, Ron, who was standing beside her, gave a groan and muttered, "When are you going to get to the point, Hermione?" 

Hermione flushed and said vehemently, "I was just getting to it! So, after reading about the Pensieve in one of my books, I thought that it would be a great gift for you since it stores all your memories in a convenient place! That way, if you have any more dreams, you can just place it in there and not have to worry about forgetting about it! Also, I spoke to Professor Dumbledore. He comes around here once in a while, so I asked him how the Pensieve worked. He said that you would be able to store all your bad memories in there and erase them from your mind. For the good memories, however, the Pensieve only makes a copy of the memory! Isn't that great? That way, if a Dementor ever gets near you again, it won't have any power over you because you will only have the good memories left. Professor Dumbledore also cast this incredibly difficult spell on the Pensieve so that other people could contribute to it. That's how we were able to fit this memory inside it! However, you will be the only person who can see inside the Pensieve, unless of course, you bring us along! Anyway, we did that because we didn't want other people to sneak inside it and see your thoughts."

At this, Harry was strongly reminded of his last two encounters inside the Pensieve. Both times, he had "snuck" into them while the owners (in his case, Dumbledore and Snape) were away.

Hermione had stopped talking and instead, turned around to the people at the table, who broke into a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Harry, Happy Birthday to you!!!"

Harry, who had never had a song dedicated to him before, felt a surge of gratitude toward Hermione, Ron, and the members of the Order. Despite living almost his whole entire life with people who wouldn't hesitate to get rid of him, despite having his family killed before his own eyes, and despite everything that had happened to him so far, he had found the best friends that he could ever have. Their unwavering support and loyalty had helped him overcome all the obstacles in his life and kept him smiling through his tears. Even though he knew they wouldn't hear him, he quietly whispered, "Thank you…for everything."

As Hermione's memory came to an end, Harry felt himself rising up slowly from the floor. 12 Grimmauld Place was quickly evaporating into thin air as the living room succumbed to the darkness. Harry was once again plunged into the icy cold shadows and within seconds, tumbled out of the Pensieve feeling as though he had just walked out of the freezer. Gazing around his room, he observed that the owls were still patiently waiting for him, probably because he was the only one who could untie the packages from their legs. He felt as though he had been gone for hours, although in reality, it was only a couple of minutes. He glanced back at the Pensieve, which was still shimmering with a luminous white light, then placed it carefully back into the silver box and hid it beneath the loose floorboard under his bed. Although he knew the Dursleys would rather live off rat droppings than come into his "wizard-infested" room, he wanted to make sure the present was safe. Glancing at the hiding spot with satisfaction, he was pretty sure that the present wouldn't be found. He untied all the packages and letters from the owls and watched as they took flight out through the open window. Taking one long look around his bedroom strewn with birthday packages, he felt a feeling of elation spread from his head to the tips of his toes. He did have people who cared about him, after all…

Author's Notes: So what do you think? I'm sorry I didn't update sooner! But this chapter is longer than the other two! It's 4 pages long (the first chapter was only 1 page). I was going to add more, but I'm just going to start a new chapter instead. If there are any mistakes in this chapter, it's probably because I didn't look over it after writing it! (Well, I'm writing the Author's Notes now and I'm getting distracted because I'm also listening to songs on my computer!) Anyway, what do you think Harry, Ron, and Hermione's Animagi should be? I wanted to include it in this story. I'm thinking of having Harry's Animagus be an eagle (he loves flying and wants freedom), lion (he's courageous, plus it's the Gryffindor mascot!), wolf (sometimes he's lonely and independent), or phoenix (his wand is made from a phoenix feather). I think Ron should probably be an Irish Setter dog (since he's very loyal; plus the dog has reddish fur!). I was thinking Hermione should be an owl (she's wise) or unicorn (she's wise, loyal, and innocent) or cat (she's cunning; plus if Ron's the dog, it would go perfectly because cats and dogs always fight! Hehe)


	4. The Trio Reunited

July 21, 2003

Updated July 30, 2003

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Harry's Pensieve: Finding Sirius

Chapter 4: The Trio Reunited

Harry jogged down the staircase steps in high spirits, grinning in spite of himself. But as soon as he reached the kitchen, his joyful mood dissipated in one instant as he stared around at the malevolent faces of his aunt and uncle. His cousin, Dudley, was in the corner sniggering to himself as if he knew something Harry didn't, which, as Harry reflected, was probably true. Although his cousin now knew better than to mess with Harry himself, Dudley still never missed an opportunity to watch Harry getting tormented by Uncle Vernon. Harry rolled his eyes and ambled toward the refrigerator, intending to ignore the venomous looks directed towards him. 

"I told you before, Petunia," Uncle Vernon hissed through gritted teeth, "We should have chucked him out before he ever went to that dreadful SCHOOL!" 

Harry pretended that he had not heard a single word. Although he now knew exactly why he had to return to the Dursleys every summer, it did not mean that he liked coming back. In fact, he dreaded it. And apparently, so did his aunt and uncle.

Uncle Vernon, whose mustache was quivering slightly, pointed a threatening finger at Harry and snarled, "Just what did you think you were doing with all those blasted owls in your room! Don't think we didn't see you! The NEIGHBORS could have seen!" Aunt Petunia looked absolutely terrified by this and craned her head towards the window to see if anyone was spying on their conversation.

Harry pasted what he felt was an innocent look on his face before turning around and calmly saying, "I don't know what you're talking about. You must be going mad." As he turned back towards the refrigerator, he could almost picture his uncle's livid face. Wanting to infuriate his uncle even more, Harry finally decided to tell the truth. "In case you haven't noticed, today's my birthday. The owl's were simply bringing me presents," he said nonchalantly. At this, he sneaked a peek at Dudley, who had been hanging onto every word and looked absolutely furious that Harry had more friends than he did. 

Smirking slightly, Harry opened the refrigerator door and was just about to reach towards the milk jug when he felt an enormous pudgy hand violently grip his hair and pull it downward, bending his head back and sending shooting pains throughout his body. "I WON'T HAVE YOU TREATING OUR HOUSE LIKE IT IS YOUR OWN PERSONAL PLAYGROUND!" his uncle roared in fury. Through a haze of pain, Harry could only think of one thing: "This time I'm not going to take it anymore!" He twisted around, wrenching himself out of Uncle Vernon's firm grip, and turned to face his attacker. As Vernon moved to hit him again, Harry instinctively brought his arms up in front of his face in a defensive gesture. But before he ever reached Harry, Uncle Vernon was blasted off his feet and crashed into the wall.

"Oh no! VERNON!" Aunt Petunia cried, hurrying over to his limp form. Even Dudley had abandoned his chair and was crouching over his father, attempting (rather uselessly) to wake him. This left Harry, who was still standing frozen in his place, wondering what had happened. He hadn't had time to take out his wand, so how could he have done it? But before he could figure out the answer to his own question, the kitchen door banged open. Illuminated in the bright morning sunlight were Mad-Eye Moody, Remus, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ron, and an old lady that he didn't know. 

Harry froze in shock as he stared at the grinning faces of his friends. "Hermione? Ron?" he asked uncertainly, still wondering if what he was seeing was a dream.

They were about to answer when the old lady standing next to them coughed and cleared her throat. She had a haughty expression on her face as she addressed the Dursleys on the other side of the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt your…breakfast," she said daintily, surveying the scene with a pretentious sniff. "But I found these hooligans," she pointed at the group, "trying to break into your house with sticks of some sort. I was getting ready to call the police, but I thought that I should tell you, instead." Aunt Petunia looked scandalized at the thought of a neighbor discovering their secret. Her mouth flapped open and shut uselessly as she gasped for air. 

Harry had been watching this conversation with growing unease because he had a vague feeling that he knew this lady. As if she could feel Harry staring at her, the old lady turned towards him and winked rather mischievously. "Tonks?" he asked hesitantly. 

"Wotcher, Harry!" the old lady crowed as the steely-gray hair tied in a bun gave way to flourescent purple spiky hair. She straightened up and admired the effect of her transformation in the reflection in the window. "Much better!" she said with satisfaction. 

Harry had been staring at Aunt Petunia and Dudley, relishing the way their eyes almost bugged out when they witnessed the change, but now he turned back to his group of friends. They ran towards him and enveloped him in a large joyous hug. "Happy Birthday, Harry!" Ron said happily. 

"What did you think of that introduction, Harry? We wanted to give your family a surprise," Tonks grinned wickedly. 

"It was great!" Harry replied, laughing. He glanced at his aunt and cousin, who were now crouching beside Uncle Vernon and pretending to look invisible.

Harry stepped back and gazed at the other group of wizards. "Happy Birthday, Harry," Remus Lupin said with a smile as he withdrew an enormous cake from behind his back. "We brought you a cake to celebrate your 16th birthday." The cake was decorated in Gryffindor colors—red and gold—and had a huge moving picture of a lion on it. 

"Thanks," Harry said, staring at the cake in awe. "It's wonderful!" 

"Harry," Ron said, "We were worried about you! You didn't write to us in over a week, so we thought we'd come to see what was wrong. Well, we wanted to spread some birthday cheer too, of course!"

Harry was about to reply that they shouldn't have worried, but his words were nearly drowned out by a groan coming from the other side of the room. The efforts of Aunt Petunia and Dudley finally paid off as Uncle Vernon finally started to regain consciousness. The results were far worse than Harry had imagined. 

Uncle Vernon blinked stupidly as his eyes adjusted to the glaring white sunlight, but as soon as they came into focus, he noticed the odd group standing at the opposite end of the room. Rising with a snarl, he lunged toward the group and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "GET OUT! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE AND NEVER COME BACK!" He snatched a broom that was propped up against the wall and proceeded to hit them with it. Noticing a movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned and rounded on Harry, who was attempting to calm him down, but was failing miserably. "YOU! YOU ROTTEN UNGRATEFUL WRETCH! GET OUT! I don't care if you go with them or not, but you will not be staying in this house any longer!!!"

Harry, in a rage of fury, lost his head completely and chucked a plastic bottle towards Uncle Vernon's head. "FINE! SEE IF I CARE! I NEVER LIKED LIVING IN THIS HOUSE ANYWAY!" He turned and climbed up the staircase two steps at a time. When he finally reached his bedroom, he slammed the door shut with all the force he could muster, sending a loud reverberating "BANG" throughout the entire house and causing a few bits of plaster from the ceiling to rain down upon his head. Fuming, he leaned against the door, thinking about the curses and jinxes that he would have liked to use on Uncle Vernon. He knew that the Dursleys would have to take him back next summer, (provided that he was still alive by then) because he didn't have anywhere else to go. But then again, he would do anything to not have to come back again. 

Harry was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the other occupants of the room until Hermione stood up and tentatively asked, "Erm…we didn't come at a bad time, did we?"

Harry was jolted out of his reverie by the sound of her voice. He looked around the room and was startled to see his guests sitting on his bed and chairs. He hadn't even noticed them! "Well, make yourselves at home, I guess. Although," he continued glumly, "I don't think I'm welcome here anymore." 

"Not to worry!" said Ron brightly from his position on the floor, "We've come to take you back with us to the Burrow!" 

"Really?" Harry asked, feeling his heart soar when he heard those words. He was going to the Burrow! But as soon as that thought occurred to him, a dozen questions began to run through his head. "You mean, I don't have to stay here all summer? But what did Dumbledore say? Did he agree? And what about…." Here he paused, unable to find the right words for the thought that just formed in his mind. 

"Don't worry," said Hermione kindly, "The Burrow has all kinds of charms and wards on it to protect it from harm. In fact, my parents are going to stay there for the summer also! So it's okay. We'll all be safe." Harry breathed a sigh of relief at her words. He didn't want to be responsible for any more deaths of people close to him, not after what had happened…. _Stop it Harry!_ He told himself. _It's no use torturing yourself about his death! Sirius wouldn't want you to!_ He shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought. Looking up at Mrs. Weasley's expectant face, he replied happily, "I can't wait! Let's get going then!"

Mrs. Weasley looked delighted with his answer. She quickly stood up and bustled around his room, picking up the packages on the floor and placing them in a huge pile. "Now Harry, where's your suitcase?" she asked cheerfully. 

Harry went over to his closet and pulled out an extremely grubby black suitcase. Uncle Vernon had given it to him as a "going-away" present for his first year at Hogwarts, and in the course of six years, it had gotten rather shabby. According to his uncle, this dilapidated suitcase was the only one that the Dursleys could afford at that time. But Harry knew better. He had seen his cousin Dudley heave four gleaming suitcases up to his room on the same day that Harry had been stuck with this suitcase. He supposed that his uncle was going to throw the suitcase into the trash bin, but thought better of it and gave it to Harry instead. He sighed resignedly as he dragged the suitcase to where Mrs. Weasley was waiting.

"All right, dear, now just—," she broke off in mid-sentence as she saw what Harry was carrying. "Now, Harry, we'll have to do something about that suitcase. It's falling apart. Do you mind?" she said, gesturing towards her wand.

Harry shook his head and watched, wide-eyed, as Mrs. Weasley cast a few charms on the suitcase. "Scourgify! Reparo! Inflatio!" In seconds, the old suitcase was bright and shiny. Even the seams, which had been bursting apart, were repaired. "I've also added an Inflation Charm to it! It enlarges the inside so that you will always have room in your suitcase for everything!" she said with a smile.

"Wow! Thanks, Mrs. Weasley!" Harry exclaimed, gazing at his brand-new suitcase in awe.

"All we have to do now is to get your things together! Accio Pile!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, pointing to the large pile of birthday presents and directing them into the suitcase. 

Harry stared as the presents filed past him one by one. It would have been impossible for all those packages to fit inside the suitcase if it hadn't been enchanted. He gaped open-mouthed at his suitcase, which seemed to have developed into a bottomless pit. He could barely see any of the presents through the darkness that lined the inside. "Erm, Mrs. Weasley?" he asked sheepishly. "How am I going to get everything out again?"

"Oh!" she said, looking embarrassed. "I forgot to tell you. All you have to do is think about whatever it is you need, and it will rise to the top." As the last of the packages flew into the suitcase, she walked over and knelt down beside the suitcase. "Now, think carefully about one object in particular."

As Harry closed his eyes, an image instantly popped into his head. "Ah!" He yelled, jumping up and hurrying over to his bed. "I almost forgot about the Pensieve!" He frantically removed the loose floorboard and took out the precious package. 

Hermione looked up at these words and grinned. "So you've opened our present already? Did you like it?"

Harry grinned back at her and exclaimed, "Yeah, thanks! I loved it! It's really useful, although I haven't put any of my memories in there yet!"

Ron, who had been looking in Harry's closet, stepped out and asked curiously, "What's it like in there?"

Harry suddenly remembered that neither Hermione nor Ron had ever been inside a Pensieve before. It felt quite strange, since he had been inside it for three times now. Glancing back at Ron, he replied, "You and Hermione can come with me next time, if you'd like!"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Ron declared, beaming. 

Harry turned back to the suitcase and gingerly placed the package inside it. He watched as the silver box slowly drifted down into the darkness, then closed his eyes and pictured it in his mind. When he opened his eyes, the package was floating at the top of the suitcase, waiting for Harry to pick it up again. When he didn't, it slowly glided down to the bottom again. He slowly got up from the floor and went to his desk to gather up his homework and schoolbooks. He groaned when he saw the large stack of homework papers. He had run out of ink during the summer and didn't think it was a good idea to ask the Dursleys to take him to Diagon Alley to pick up some more school supplies. He could just imagine what a lovely conversation that would be. "Uncle Vernon, do you think you could take me to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things? Wizards need to write in ink, you know." He would be pounded into a pulp before he even got to finish his sentence. 

At that moment, Ron, who had been poking around Harry's room, came upon something very interesting. "Harry, why haven't you been reading any of our letters?" he asked, pointing to the large stack of unopened letters at the foot of Harry's bed.

Caught red-handed, Harry had no choice but to tell a white lie. "Oh…I haven't really had the time, you know," he said, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally while mentally berating himself for leaving the letters out in plain sight. 

Hermione seemed to have noticed something peculiar about his tone because she sent a very reproving glance in his direction.

"Well!" Harry said hurriedly, "I'm all packed, so let's go!" He motioned toward his Firebolt, which was lying against the wall, "Are we going by broomsticks again?"

"No," said Professor Lupin, who had been sitting silently on a chair beside his bed for the whole time, "we're going by Portkey. It's a lot quicker and safer."

"Oh, okay." Harry said, relieved that they wouldn't have to fly through the freezing clouds again like they had last year. Although it had been fun for the first few hours, he had been chilled to the bone when they had finally arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place. But this time they were going to the Burrow, which (Harry supposed) was closer. "But what about the Ministry of Magic?" he asked. "Last time Professor Dumbledore made a Portkey, Fudge said that he wasn't authorized to do so!"

"The Ministry doesn't make the rules anymore, Harry," said Lupin quietly. "It's been chaos ever since they figured out that Voldemort was back. In fact, many groups, such as the Improper Use of Magic Office, have disbanded already. If you were to do magic right now, you wouldn't be punished."

Harry gaped at him. "But…but…that's bad, isn't it? What will happen if the Ministry is gone?"

"Lots of things, Harry," growled Mad-Eye Moody as he clumped into the room. "Good things and bad things. But at least we have Dumbledore on our side. However, it's a good thing you lot can practice magic outside of school now. You need to learn everything you can during this summer, you hear me? Although Hogwarts is safer than anywhere else, it's not impenetrable."

Ron stood up and shouted at Moody furiously, "How come you didn't tell us this while we were at the Grimmauld Place? We needed to know too! We could have practiced magic also, you know!"

Professor Lupin shook his head. "It was too dangerous. Although you were allowed to use magic, anybody could have gone into the Ministry to look up the Underage Wizardry records. That meant that they could have gotten a vague idea of our location, even though the house was Unplottable. However, since you three are now going to the Burrow, there's no need to hide because it's not our headquarters."

"Oh, so you don't care about the Burrow, but you care about your stupid Order headquarters?" Ron yelled.

"Ron! Drop that tone now!" Mrs. Weasley ordered. Seeing the hurt expression on his face, she relaxed the stern look on her face and said apologetically, "You know they care about us and the Burrow. It's just that since the Burrow is a family home, the Death Eaters won't think to look there. However, we can't let them gain access to our headquarters. It's too important."

"And speaking of our headquarters," Tonks stated seriously, "We have something to show you, Harry." She pulled out a folded envelope that had evidently been viewed many times since it was crinkled around the edges. "This was Sirius's (Harry flinched) last letter." She held it out to him and Harry reluctantly took it.

Seeing the envelope made a fresh surge of guilt and remorse wash over him. The empty void in his heart throbbed painfully and he bit his lip to stop his tears from flowing. Harry looked at the front of the envelope, on which the name "Sirius" was inscribed, then flipped it over to the back. Sirius's words leapt out at him: "To Remus, Tonks, and Harry." Harry stared at the envelope with curiosity. He looked up at the anxious faces surrounding him, then directed his attention back to the envelope. As he flipped the flap over, the corner of a piece of paper stuck out. He reached in and took it out before realizing that it wasn't a piece of paper at all. 

It was a photograph. Harry stared at it as the people in the photo (Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Hermione, Ron, and himself) waved back happily. It had been taken the day before Harry had left for his fifth year at Hogwarts. The Sirius in the picture was having fun turning himself into a black dog and back again while the others were looking down at him in amusement. Harry fingered the photograph tenderly. He would never see that joyful black dog ever again…. He looked up, suddenly aware that the other people in the room were still watching him intently. "I need some space," he said, before hurriedly moving away from the group and settling himself in another corner. 

__

Sirius can't be gone. He told himself._ Luna said so. She said that the people were just beyond the veil. So he didn't die, really. He's just out there, waiting for me. It's only a matter of time before Sirius is back again._ But how exactly was he going to rescue Sirius? Well, easy. The Ministry was in shambles, so all he had to do was waltz in, find the Department of Mysteries (which should be easy enough), and go through the veil. It was a simple plan, but how was he supposed to pull it off? And if Sirius couldn't come back through the veil, was there a chance that Harry wouldn't be able to come out as well? _There has to be another way,_ he thought furiously. And if there wasn't, what then? 

He suddenly noticed another item in the envelope and took it out. It was a piece of parchment bearing a small wax seal. Harry opened the letter and felt another wave of regret and longing wash over him as he stared down at Sirius's loopy handwriting.

__

Many greetings to my dear friends and beloved cousin,

If you are reading this now, it must surely mean that I, Sirius "Padfoot, the best and most handsome of the Marauders" Black is really and truly dead. Well, I certainly haven't lost my sense of humor, have I? Although, you know…what I said IS true…Ah, stop laughing, Moony and Harry!

Harry gave a small snort of laughter as he saw Sirius's middle name. Trust Sirius to make the worst of situations seem almost hilarious. He continued reading…

__

Anyway, while sitting and pondering in this dilapidated old house of mine, I came upon an interesting thought. Who should be next in line for this creaky old mansion? I certainly don't want it anymore. I never wanted it in the first place! But as the last of the Blacks, I feel it is my duty to bequeath it to people who deserve it more. That led me to you guys…and girl, of course: Remus, Harry, and Tonks. Each of you will receive a third of the house and its possessions (See, Tonks? Now you can finally have those Electro-charged Biting Flubberwusters that you have always wanted since you were 5 years old!). In short, this is my will (in the unlikely case that I'll die).

Please don't grieve about my death. I've lived a good life (the life before Azkaban, that is) and I finally got my wish: to see Harry grow up. Harry, if you are reading this, know only that it wasn't your fault. Now, I know this seems silly, but I know how you are. You tend to take the blame for everything, even for things you didn't do. I know because James was the same. You are truly like your father, Harry, and that's a good thing. Although we were reckless and foolish during our school years, James really was a great friend and a great father. The only difference between you and him is that you have a great burden to bear…one that I wish you didn't have to endure alone. I don't know how to put this, Harry, but my goal in life has always been to protect you. If I've done that, then my life has been worthwhile and I'll be happy. Even though I'm gone in real life, I will always be by your side. I won't ever truly leave you, Harry, if I stay forever in your heart.

_Remus, you've been a great friend to me over the years and I don't know how to thank you…_

Harry stopped reading because his vision had gone blurry. He took off his glasses and wiped his eyes surreptitiously with his sleeve. If anything, the letter had made the ache in his heart multiply by at least a hundred times. Now there seemed to be a gaping hole where his heart once was. _I wish he never died. He was my godfather and I loved him!_ He wished that he could take a huge gulp of the Sleeping Draught so that he could leave behind all his worries. _Sirius told me not to grieve…_he told himself. _But I can't help it!_ Another voice in his head shouted. He stood up shakily, feeling his heart beat more rapidly than usual. "Let's go…"

Hermione looked at him anxiously. "Harry…maybe you ought to sit down for a while."

"No!" he replied in a voice that was more forceful than usual. "I want to leave."

"But Harry, you need—," Hermione was interrupted by the sound of shoes loudly clomping up the stairs.

"HARRY! ARE YOU STILL UP THERE?" Uncle Vernon's deafening roars filled the house.

Mrs. Weasley, acting on instinct, quickly put a Blocking Charm on Harry's door. A moment later, they heard a loud banging sound on the door. "HARRY! OPEN UP, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

The occupants of Harry's room quickly gathered around Professor Lupin, who had taken out a tattered book. "Come on! Let's go!" Harry shouted, casting a wary glance at the door, which seemed to be taking quite a beating. Everyone placed one hand on the book as Lupin counted down the seconds.

"Okay, on the count of three. One…two…three!"

Harry felt the irresistible pull behind his navel drawing him forward, but not before he looked back to see Tonks use her free hand to cast a charm on his bedroom door. He heard a large rush of sound in his ears…he was flying through a whirlwind of colors…he was going back to the Burrow…

"Umph!" Harry groaned as his feet hit the ground. He almost staggered over and fell on top of Ron, who had been less lucky than he was and was sprawled on the ground. A second later, Hermione fell through the howling wind and slammed into Harry, who toppled over. Moments later, everyone else arrived, looking very windswept and rumpled. 

"Well, we're finally here at the Burrow!" Mrs. Weasley said contentedly.

Harry stared around at the bright, sunny kitchen and at the friendly faces gazing back at him. He had returned to the Burrow at long last.

****

Author's Notes: 

Woo-hoo! Another chapter done! I really love writing this! It's so easy to get into the characters and everything! Anyway, first things first. 

I'd first like to say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!!!! 

As everyone must know, today's Harry Potter's real birthday! July 31! (The only problem is that we don't know what year that is!) However, if we go by the books, then we can safely say that it's Harry's 16th birthday today! Yay, Harry! (He's the same age as me now! Hehehehee…. I wish he were real!!!)

Well, after that announcement, I'd also like to say a big thanks to all my reviewers! THANK YOU!!!! I love reading everyone's reviews! Also, thanks to everyone who answered my question about the trio's Animagi forms! I've narrowed it down to a few now…. First of all, I think I'm going to go with what Japonica said and have Harry be able to change into whatever type of animal he chooses (since everyone gave me different answers!) However, I really liked the idea of him being a phoenix, a griffin (imagine! A flying lion! Hehe), and a black & silver wolf! On Ron, I think everyone said that he would be an awesome Irish setter, so an Irish Setter he is! (I think it was a great idea also!) On Hermione, I'm not so sure. I really wanted her to be a unicorn (hehe, I love unicorns!), but almost everyone gave a different answer for her Animagus! The ones that I might pick are a cat, a fox, an owl, or a unicorn. I'm leaning towards the cat (since obviously, she is a bit of a cat-person and besides, she DID turn into a cat during her second year after drinking the Polyjuice Potion! Hehe) But I'll think about it! There's still a lot of time before I write that chapter, so all views are welcome! I still need a few more animal forms to choose from! Also, if you do decide to post about that subject, also include why you think that animal is good for the character.

Yikes! I have to go back in school in less than two weeks! (Now, if I were going to Hogwarts, I would love to go back! But since I'm not, I'm dreading the beginning of school since it means no more lazy summer days! Also, it means that it'll take more time for me to put up chapters!) Darn these American schools! (lol) Why can't they be more like British schools and start on September 1st (just like Hogwarts)?

Okay, let's see, anything else? Oh yeah, I'm really sorry this chapter took so long! I was planning on posting it on Monday, but now I'm glad I didn't because on Tuesday, I had an enormous creative burst of inspiration and wrote 4 more pages! (I had 3 pages on Monday). Then on Wednesday, I wrote 2 more pages! So that brings the total story page count to 9 pages! (Quite a lot, huh? I found out that I'm writing more and more as the story progresses! The first chapter only took up 1 page!) So anyway, that's why I'm glad I didn't post it on Monday! I had so much more to write about! Oh yeah, I didn't post it on Monday since my cable internet connection was down and the dial-up connection didn't work either. Hehe, but I suppose that was a mixed blessing! Anyway, these Author's Notes really take up a lot of room, don't they? I wanted to write to each individual reviewer (to comment on what they said), but I don't think I'll have any room! (as it is, I'm on page 10 now!) I really don't want the Author's Notes to end up being longer than the actual chapter, so I'll stop here! Lol. Please review! Thank you! And see ya next time!


	5. The Last of the Marauders

August 4, 2003

Updated August 11, 2003

****

Harry Potter's Pensieve: Finding Sirius

By: Phoenixangel

__

Author's Note: This chapter will be done in the point-of-view of Remus! Also, when I first posted this, I forgot to add on some of the events that happened in the Weasleys' house (since I was in such a hurry to post the chapter) so this is the updated chapter. Hehe, sorry! Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed!

Chapter 5: Interlude—The Last of the Marauders

The warm, cozy atmosphere of the Weasley's home beckoned to him enticingly, but he couldn't stay. He had other matters to attend to. "Well, we'd better get going," Remus said as he brushed off some dirt from his robes.

"Yeah, before those two rascals try to sell us more of their joke shop stuff!" Tonks exclaimed jokingly.

"I rather liked the Skiving Snackboxes," Remus said with a wry grin.

"Well, of course you would!" Tonks rolled her eyes. "You ran around with the Marauders, remember?" At this, she instantly stopped, wincing inwardly as she caught a glimpse of Remus's reaction. 

He turned away from her, whispering, "Of course I remember. Two are dead and one is a traitor. How could I forget?"

Harry must have sensed the tense mood since he instantly spoke up, trying to divert the subject. "Hey, Tonks, what did you do to my bedroom door just before we came here?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, that!" Tonks waved her hand dismissively in the air. "It was nothing…just a simple charm that will have them bouncing off the walls in no time," she said with an evil grin.

__

Back at the Dursleys' house

"I'm warning you boy! If you don't open this door immediately, you're going to regret it!" Uncle Vernon shouted furiously as he tried jiggling the doorknob to no avail. Groaning in frustration, he stepped back from the door and attempted to break it down by slamming his body against it. Unfortunately, he had not known that the door would bounce back…so he ended up crashing through the master bedroom wall and creating an enormous hole the same size as his massive body while Aunt Petunia stared in horror. 

__

Later that evening…

The warm summer air was slowly dissipating as autumn's chilling breeze blew through the land. The lush green leaves of the summer trees lost their color and floated away as the golden foliage gradually replaced them.

High on a hilltop, a lone wolf surveyed the transformation, lifting his nose and sniffing the cold, sharp air. His ears pricked up as he spied a familiar scent. He sat up on his haunches and growled softly as the approaching figure came nearer.

"Hello, old friend," Remus Lupin said congenially, patting the stray wolf on the head. The wolf relaxed and sniffed Remus's hand tentatively. Remus sighed as he gazed around at the beautiful scene before him. Below him, the shimmering waves of the lake lapped soothingly at the shoreline. "I'm back, Hogwarts," he said quietly, staring out across the water at the looming castle on the other side. He didn't know why he came back, but perhaps it was the gnawing ache that had been plaguing him ever since…. _No I don't want to think about that. I don't want to remember_. But images filled his head, nevertheless. Images of Sirius, falling through the veil…of his own incapability to save the only friend he had left…of the grief-stricken look in Harry's eyes as Remus held him back….

The sun was sinking below the horizon more rapidly now, tinting the sky with orange and pink hues. In a few seconds, it would start all over again. It was lucky that he had remembered to drink the Wolfbane Potion before he had come…

As the last of the sun's rays faded away into the darkness, the full moon emerged from behind the clouds, bathing the hills in its luminescent light. Remus gave an anguished moan as the excruciating pain coursed through his veins. In the shining moonlight, he could see his arms lengthening and growing coarse silver fur. His face transformed and expanded into the face of a wolf. He would have doubled over in pain, but he was on the ground already, holding both hands over his heart and thrashing around in agony, willing the pain to stop. When the burning pain threatened to consume his whole mind, he lost all self-control and let out a long anguished howl that shattered the stillness of the night. Gasping in pain, he got up on all fours and waited until the throbbing ache receded from his body. Slowly, he loped off towards the Forbidden Forest. The other wolf had long since vanished. 

As he stepped into the grove of ancient trees, the darkness and shadows completely surrounded him, cloaking him in a veil of shade and obscurity. But he knew these paths well, having encountered them in a life that now seemed lost forever.

"Come on, Moony! Let's go explore!"

"Yeah, think of all the creepy-crawlies that we can stick in Snivelly's bookbag later!"

"You're a werewolf? But why didn't you tell us? We would have helped you! You're our friend, Remus."

"I've never had a friend like you, Remus."

Remus tripped over a tree root and sprawled across the ground. He tried to lift his paw to wipe away the tears that had started to flow, but failed. Now his heart threatened to split in two as the long-forgotten memories drifted back into his mind. _Why couldn't everything have stayed the same?_ _Why did everyone I loved have to die?_ he wept silently.

"We should call ourselves the Marauders! Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers!"

"I've got it! We can all become Animagi! Werewolves only attack people, right? So if we were animals, it would be okay!"

"Remus is a Prefect! I bet Dumbledore wants someone to keep an eye on us!"

"Remus! Guess what! Lily and I are getting married!"

"This is our baby, Harry James Potter! Say hello to Uncle Remus, Harry!"

"There's someone in the Order who has been leaking secrets to Voldemort."

"James and Lily are dead. Sirius has been captured and sent to Azkaban."

"Why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless he was the one…unless you switched…without telling me?"

"You'll always be my friend, Remus. No matter what, I'm going to make it up to you for ever doubting you."

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!"

"There's nothing you can do, Harry. It's too late."

Remus lifted his head blearily. _I must have fallen asleep_, he thought groggily. Dawn had finally come. He got up slowly to his feet before finally realizing where he was. He looked around at the clearing where his three friends had become Animagi just for him. It seemed as if time had stood still. He could still remember their cheerful voices, unaffected by the course of history. 

"Okay, here goes!"

A flash of silver light enveloped James, Sirius, and Peter. Remus had to shield his eyes from the brightness. When he finally looked back, a stag, a black dog, and a rat stared back at him.

"This was the place you knew best, Padfoot," Moony whispered as tears silently coursed down his cheeks. _Why, Peter?_ Remus thought in anguish. _Why did you betray them? _"Now I'm the only Marauder left, out of us all." He knelt down on the damp earth, not minding the dew water that seeped into his robes. "Why did it have to happen this way?" he sobbed uncontrollably, pounding the earth with his fists. 

For just a fleeting moment, he could feel the gaze of his departed friends on him. A faint voice, almost imperceptible, drifted towards him. _Moony, you've got to go on. You have to live…for us._ Remus glanced around wildly for the source of the sound, but found no one. He slowly got up, determination seeping through him. "I WILL live for my friends," he vowed. "I'll avenge their deaths and when that day comes, I'll make sure I'm the only Marauder left standing. For James's sake…for Sirius's sake…and for Harry's sake…."


End file.
